048 This Modern Age
The background is white. ; Panel 1 Iris, her expression suspicious, turns to Cora and asks "Why is Mr. Planchett handling the burial of a man he doesn't know?" Cora, her eyes closed, smiles as she answers "*Tradition*, Miss Bellweather. Never underestimate the importance of a good funeral." Behind them, the other Auxiliary members are shown in shadow against the mauve-colored walls. ; Panel 2. Her face thoughtful, Mrs. Kennikin adds "And as I recall, Rutherford's father also helped pay for the final arrangements of those in need. And his father *before* that, I believe. His family has managed it so long, the town provides him a *stipend* for the task." Behind her, Mrs. Isquith is standing near the table with the pot of tea on it. Her spine is slightly bent with age, and its outline is visible through her dress. ; Panel 3. Iris looks blank as she says "I didn't know that. I didn't know it happened often enough for someone to... *manage* it." Behind her, the silhouette of a woman in a hat is thrown in shadow on the wall. The hat's complicated bow pokes out to the side and a feather juts straight up, giving the shadow an inhuman look. ; Panel 4. Mrs. Isquith, pouring a cup of tea for herself, smiles as she says "Oh, my sweet child. We are so fortunate to live in this modern age! We have the telephone, and moving pictures, and lights in the dark." ; Panel 5. She continues, "When we lose a loved one, we tell ourselves how *unexpected* it is. How awful, how tragic. It wasn't that long ago that it happened more often than *not*, my dear girl." She brings her cup of tea up to her face and purses her lips, her mouth forming a cartoonish circle as she blows on the hot tea. She is shown slightly closer than she was in the previous strip, and the wrinkles on her face are very visible. Her coloring is no longer flat and unshaded as the strip usually is, but very lightly shaded, and the mauve walls lighten in color to a dusty rose. ; Panel 6. She continues, "Our modern age brings us such comfort, doesn't it? It pushes back our *unease*, until it's just out of sight. But it is still very much alive, child." She is shown very close up, with her wrinkles around her mouth and eyes all drawn in a realistic way, her eyes just thin slits. She is more realistically shaded, giving her a mottled look. The background is lightened further, and it, her hair and hat and the shading on her face all seem to be a very similar lavender color. ; Panel 7. The strip's coloring returns to normal, and Mrs. Isquith smiles as she says "Goodness, listen to me prattle on! Let's serve that pie you brought, it looked just wonderful!" Behind her, Iris is still sitting in her chair, both hands crossed over her heart and a rather freaked-out expression on her face. Behind her, the shadows of the Auxiliary women all have hats with feathers pointing up, giving them a subtly strange look.